Casting-pot.



G. MELLEN.

CAST|NG POT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 19:4

1,139,886. Patented May18,1915.

7 WWW/14 mm GRENVILLE MELLEN, or EAST ORANGE, new JERSEY," assiolvon ro ooivrij CASTING CORPORATION, OF RICHMON GINIA.

CASTING-POT.

Original application filed May 16, 1914,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GRENVILLE MELL N, a citizen of the United States, residing atEast Orange, in the county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casting-Pots, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a casting-pot pro vided with means for delivering molten metal to a continuous casting machine, such as that shown in my application, Serial No. 839,045, filed May 16, 1914, of which this application is a division. I

In the operation of this continuous casting machine, it is important that the molten metal shall be delivered to the moving molds at a definite, controllable and maintained rate, and it'is the purpose of this invention to provide means for so delivering the metal. This object I attain by providing the pot. which contains the main body of molten metal with an extension or chamber within which there is maintained a quantity molten metal always at, substantially the same level, the metal-flowing 'from i t liis extension or chamber thus beingfinaintained under a practically constan't hydrjai lic head.

My invention further relates to the means for automatically maintaining the level of the molten metal and to other features which will more specifically appear from the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings--Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the casting-pot and the end portion of the casting machine; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the casting-pot, on a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1, the parts of the casting machine being omitted; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the casting-pot extension, on a larger scale; and Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in perspective, showing the ball and socket colrinection between the outlet and delivery tu e.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 is a suitable bed-plate, upon which is supported a movable furnace 2, mounted upon wheels 3, 4, running on tracks 5, 6. The furnace.2, which may be moved to and from the molds by the hand-wheel 7, has a fire-box 8, lined with suitable fire-brick 9, and a grate 10, below which is the ash-pit 11. The furnace structure supports a jacket or casing 12, covered by a dished cover 13,

n, VIRGINIA,"A CbRBOBQAJiIOhT1 Specification of Letters Patent. 5

' into the pot.

perforated at 14. Within? the'flj acketj12i and supported upon adjustable screwsg16,is a casting-pot 1 5, into which'f'is' .po' led .the molten metal to be subsequently t. The cover 13 serves as a funnel for moltenj'metal; and as a shelf for solidlowi melting metals, such as lead, etc., the'lheat {fronrtheffurnace 2 generally being suflicient: to', iii f and maintain melted such low-mating. I products of combustion. froinfthe' furnace 2 pass through the annular space 17 {between the jacket and casting-pot, under thecover li and through the opening- 14 to any '1 suitable draft-flue, not shown; the, shape of the? cover I 13 serving to deflect heatdown' into the fe stlng-pot and onto the surface of the'moltehi metal, and to maintain a deoxidizing atm'osphere in contact therewith. 15" is a' shi to prevent splashing ofjmolten metaljii i I p uredthe'edge's of pot 15, when metal is I Connected to the bottom of the castin 15 is an extension 18 covered by thedisk k valve-seat 19, the extension having anoutlet tube 20, arranged to be closed by a valve 21 Within the extension 18 is a suitable guide 22, through which passes the rod 23 carrying an adjustable float 24 and valve-plug,j25,-

which latter cooperates with the valve-seat in the disk 19 to control the supply of molte'n metal passing into the extension 18. The guide 22 is so constructed as to: act asa guard for preventing the moltenmetal from striking directly on the float 24. ,Atjits upper end, the rod 23 is su-pportedby knife;

edges 26 on the balance-arm 27 the. balance arm in its turn being supported onknife Patented May 18,1915," Serial No. 839,045. Divided and this i v 1914. Serial N o. 848,013.

etals. The

edges 28, and carrying the adjustable coun-v terpoise 29. The float 24 may be ofiron or any suitable material and may be either solid or hollow. The float 24 and counterpoise 29 are each adjustable, and are adjusted to automatically supply metal from the cast ing-pot 15 to the extension 18 as fast as it is used, keeping a predetermined quantity of metal 31in the extension 18 to operate the float, and thereby maintain a uniform head or pressure of metal in the extension. The casting-pot 15 is heated by the furnace 2, which is blown by blower 30, preferably electrically driven. The furnace is automatically centered horizontally with respect to the molding-machine by the wheels 3, 3, having V-shaped grooves in their peripheries and rail 5, shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The casting-pot 15 is vertically centered with respect to the molding-machine by the adjusting screws 16 which pass through the casing 12, as shown, and permit an elevation or lowering of the casting-pot 15 and its outlet 20 to allow for diflerences of expansion and contraction between the furnace and the molding-machine.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the extremity of outlet 20 contalns a cavity or socket 33, closed by a bushing 34; the lower side of bushing and outlet being slotted, as at 36, as hereafter described. Passing th-rou h the hole in the bushing is a feeding-tube 3' having an enlarged ball-shaped end 38, forming a ball-and-socket joint with the cavity 33 in the outlet 20. At its other end the feeding-tube 37 is shaped. to engage the inner walls of the chamber formed within the series of cooperating traveling molds consisting of mold-sections 46, preferably loosely linked .together, and each havinga segment of a mold on its working-face, the working-faces of the cooperating molds uniting to form a complete mold.

Should it be desired to drain the castingpot of its contents, the furnace is rolled back on the tracks, drawing the feeding-tube 37 with it; as the latter leaves the moldingmachine, the feed-tube falls down below horizontal, in the slot 36, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the metal in the casting-pot or extension 18 draining through the feeding-tube into any suitable receptacle. The casting-pot 15 and extension 18 may also be drained by opening the plug 18 at the hottom of the extension, in the event of an accident to the outlet 20. The mold-sections are propelled or pushed by the sprocket wheels 51, 52, the teeth of which press against rollers secured to each mold-section. The sprocket wheels are mounted on shafts 53, 54, driven by suitable mechanism.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the above description. The molten metal, kept fluid by heat from the furnace 2, when .the valve 25 is opened, flows into the extension 18 and rises therein to the desired l evel. This point is determined by the adustment of the float 24 and weight 29 to the proper positions on rod 23 and arm 27. Assumlng that molten metal has been permit ted to enter the extension and rise therein until the valve 25 has been closed by the rismg of the float 24, as soon as metal is permitted to flow through the outlet tube 20, the level of the metal in the extension lowers and the float sinks, thereby partially open- 7 ing the valve to admit additional metal until the desired level of metalis attained. This level is thereafter automatically maintained because the buoyancy of the float, partially Y balanced by the weight 29, causes the valve to narrow the entrance opening as the level 1,13e,ese

rises and to enlarge this opening as the level falls. This maintained head of molten metal in the extension causes the metal to flow from the outlet tube 20, at a uniform rate, thereby insuring delivery of a constant supply of molten metal to the casting machine.

I claim 1. The combination of a casting-pot, an extension thereto and in closed communication therewith, a valve closing the entrance to said extension, an adjustable float in said extension, said valve opened and closed by the movement of said float.

2. The combination of a casting-pot, an extension thereto and in closed communica tion therewith, a valve closing the entrance to the extension, a float in'said extension connected to said valve, said valve opened and closed by the movement of said float.

3. The combination of a casting-pot, an extension thereto and in closed communication therewith, means to supply molten metal from said casting-pot to said, extension, and means to automatically maintain a predetermined quantity of molten metal in said extension.

4. The combination of a casting-pot, an extension thereto, a controlling valve therefor, a valve-plug, a float, a supporting-rod, counterpoise means on said supporting-rod, said valve-plug and float supported by said supporting-rod and arranged to cooperate to open and close said valve.

5. A casting-pot having a delivery tube for molten metal and a feed conduit universally joined to said delivery tube.

6. A casting-pot having a delivery tube for molten metal and a feed conduit universally joined to said, deilvery tube, and means permitting said feed conduit to drop and drain said casting-pot.

7. The combination with a casting-pot having a downward extension, of a casing wall of the casing and connected to the extension, and means for adjustably supporting the casting-pot within the casing.

8. The combination with a casting-pot having a downward extension in closed communication therewith, an annular valve seat at the entrance to said extension, a valve plug for engaging said valve seat, a rod on which said plug is carried, a float supported on said rod, and a guide for said rod within said extension.

9. The combination with a casting-pot, of a casing surrounding the same, said casing having a downwardly and inwardly inclined centrally perforated cover extending over said pot.

10. The combination with a casting-pot, of a casing surrounding the same, said casing having a downwardly and inwardly inprojecting extension for receiving molten metal, a valve for admitting" molten metal from said pot to said extension, and an inwardly extending shield secured'to the upper edges of the pot.

12. A casting-pot having an outlet tube, said tube having formed near its outer end a spherical socket, a bushing screwed into said A tube and having a slot in its lower' portion, 15 a feeding tube of less width than said slot, having a spherical end'secured between the end of said bushing and the socket in the outlet tube. V

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 20 in presence of witnesses.

GRENVILLE MELLEN. Witnesses:

MARY ETTA WILcox, GEORGE W, SCHIENEAU, RICHARD C.- PATTERSON, J r. 

